The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-30
Printed BY Special Arrangement copyrighted. 1851
A VALUABLE NBWo-lTEM
BY CLARA j. CLINGAN.


In a large dingy room piled up with papers,
Charles Norway sat before an open desk looking
over voluminous heap of proofs. He a
good looking young man of the blonde type, hav-
ing a countenauce full of blended keenness and
good nature, while his smoothly shaven face and
premature badness gave him certain distingue
air that at times of practical benefit to him.
Norway had been in the newspaper business
ever since he could remember. As long ago as
when he had worn long curls and knee pants he
had been Office boy in the employ of Horace
Greeley; aud once, when irate assistant on
the paper had, in a moment of wrath at some
nasdemeanor. rubbed bottle of blue ink into
the sunny brown of Norway's curls. MIR. Greeley
had shown his dsapproval by sharp
rsbuke to the perpetrator of the rash
act, and, taking the boy by the hand,
himself conducted him to a barber and superin-
tended the removal of the ink. Later in
lis, Norway grew, by process of assimilation.
into fuil-fedged reporter. He had way of
persuasion which wormed secrets out of people
before they knew it; and he also had nice dis
elimination, enabling him to make good any de-
fciencies even better than the narrator of the
facts himself could have done it. When he was,
in the regular course of his profession, elected
from place. he had a way of reappearing quiet
ly, modestly and with sort of sweet, inoffen
sive dignity, not once only, but with constant
regularity, until the stoutest heart quaied under
the persistent visitations, and he gained his de-
sired point These qualities combined made him
successful news-gatherer; and as he also pos
sessed some literary ability, he gradually rose
is f,,,v ~. roeo
opening of our story, he had accepted position
as night editor Of the ''Pro and Con-" an enter
prising Chicago daily
Norway had come to Chicago before the fire.
just In time. in fact 10 be caught in an advent
ure in the great confagration. It was not much
of an adventure. after all, and only that it con-
cerned remarkably pretty girl Norway would
have probably remembered it, if at ALL as a
mere incident. IL the confusion of escape from
burning building, the young lady, who was a
mere schoolgirl of about fifteen years OF age,
had become separated from her friends, and find
ing her alone and terrified, he did just what he
would have done had she been a beggar on the
streets helped her to place Of safety as soon
as no could The young lady was only half
dressed and her thick, silky black hair hung be-
low her waist In one wind blown, tangled braid.
while her small, bare feet were hastily thrust
into slippers. She had thrown dark mantle
over herself, and this, being without sleeves,
compelled her to put forth bare, white arm as
she chung to her protector in the wild confusion
OF that terrible night. A. one time when they
came to formidable pile of searching bricks
directly in their path, he had taken her
in MS arms as though she were child and car
ried her across, while she, frightened the fall
ing walls which seemed ready to crush them as
they fed, instiuctirelv clasped her soft bare
arms around his neck. Norway. from his earli-
est years had been alone in the world, without
the endearing influences of mother or sister; and
the child-like trust and confidence of the young
stranger aroused a new and strange feeling with.
in him. Though favorte In general way,
with all women, he had never been in love; bu,
he lost his heart, somehow, to the beautiful
yonng girl that eyentfui night which, he
looked back upon it, seemed like happy episode
of another world. In after years, whenever
Norway heard any one descant on the horrors OF
the Chicago fire. he always said he rather en-
joyed conaagrations of that kind, and wouldn't
mind going through with another No; nor
would he have objected to living in continual
alarms anywhere, if he could but see again the
face that had so persstently haunted his imag
nation. ever since. For Norway. with all his
jolly. happy go-lncky disposition had one OIL
those very rare natures. upon which strong
impression is indelble for all time
So Norway, at twenty nine, was a bachelor
and likely TO remain so. He never knew wht
mis- companion was. for just as they reached
place of safety on the border of the lake, chance
led them right to some of her missing relatives
vino were wildly lamenting her loss. while hel
'ather was yet searching for her. Norway Git
aot wait to be thanked; and he had never seer
The young lady again.
As he sat that afternoon, engrosssd with th
proofs, n boy entered
aid
Norway said very well, and presently betool
himself to where the editor in chief. Mr.. Thorne
satin large leathern chair, smoking, and absent
folding up sheets of PAPER which, ever and ar on
ie tore into infinitesimal bits scattering Their
the floor ut his feet. This was confir,ne.
habit of Mr.. Thornes when meditatng; it assist
I'd his thoughts to flow easily. and also imparte
distinct individuality to the room 1t wa
conceded by every one who had ever been in
hat this apartment exceeded in wild and hid
disorder any other given number Of souar
ieet ever incosed within four walls As No,
way approached, Mr. Thorne looked calmly a
,im over vast accumulation Of unanswere
etters and spoke:
You've heard of this Berthold AFFAIR." h
.sked
IA very little. The people concerned ar
pretty emouthed and won't say word
There's good deal of curiosity about it all owe
own Old family, you know"
YES; the facts If can get at them, wi
make good lay out for the Monday paper chi
Yes; if we get at them"
"You can" said Mr.. Thorne, ia his thin, col
'oice. There is not another man on the paper
however. that think can manage the case Sc
fyou will consider yourself off duty with regar
20 everything else and make the next twenty
TOUR hours tell in that direction, you will plae
me under an obligation which shall remember
Norway laughed and departed on his mission
He went home and dressed carefully as poss
BILE, and then took car to the West Side Her.
on one Of the pleasantest Streets in large
magnificent mansion, with correspondent
grounds lived Mr. Amos Berthold. wealth
retired merchant. formerly in the India trad.
In another section of tho town lived brothe
and former partner, and tho two brothers ha
auerreled bitterly, there beEg some ttl